Sinadrin Plus News

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 13, 2017 – Proper disposal of prescription painkillers and use of safe alternatives to manage pain could help combat America's opioid abuse epidemic, doctors say. "Today, we are in the midst of an opioid crisis," said Dr. David Ring, chairman of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) Committee on Patient Safety. In 2015, about 12.5 million Americans misused prescription opioids (such as OxyContin and Vicodin) and more than 15,000 overdose deaths were attributed to the drugs, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Orthopaedic surgeons, along with other physicians and health care professionals, are working diligently and collectively to reduce the strength and number of opioid pills prescribed for patients, and to change the patient-doctor conversation regarding pain: how pain can be safely managed with non-opioid medications, ... Read more

FRIDAY, Aug. 25, 2017 – Too many people with migraines are prescribed potentially addictive opiate painkillers, while too few may be getting recommended medications, a new study suggests. Researchers found that of nearly 2,900 Americans who visited the doctor for migraine relief, 15 percent were prescribed opioids such as oxycodone (OxyContin or Percocet) or hydrocodone (Norco, Vicoprofen). That's despite the fact that the drugs should really be used only as a "last resort," said study lead researcher Dr. Larry Charleston IV. Opioids are not only less effective than recommended migraine drugs, they're also risky, said Charleston, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School. Repeated opioid use, he explained, can actually lead to more frequent, or even chronic, migraines. And by now, it's no secret that the drugs have the potential for abuse and ... Read more

MONDAY, Aug. 21, 2017 – Hernia surgery patients may require far fewer opioid painkillers than they're prescribed, new research suggests. The study included 186 adult patients who had elective inguinal ("groin") hernia repair surgery under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. Each patient received a prescription for 10 tablets of the opioid painkiller Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) to ease their post-surgery pain. But they were also encouraged to use non-opioid medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to manage their pain whenever possible. The researchers found that 86 percent of the patients used less than half of their prescribed Vicodin. Almost two-thirds used no Vicodin at all, relying totally on non-opioid pain medications. "The implication of our study is that, even though surgeons have been careful to limit the number of opioid tablets ... Read more

MONDAY, June 26, 2017 – Many people in pain are apprehensive about taking an opioid painkiller to ease their suffering, and rightfully so. Widespread use of opioids for pain has led to an epidemic of addiction in the United States. Forty lives are lost to prescription drug overdose every day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But an opioid painkiller, such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet) or hydrocodone (Vicoprofen) can sometimes be the best option for treating pain in the short term, particularly right after surgery or during a severe pain flare-up, pain experts say. In those instances, patients and doctors need to work together to make sure a patient's pain is treated while managing their risk of addiction and overdose. "You have to individualize care," said Dr. Edward Michna, an anesthesiologist and pain specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in ... Read more

SATURDAY, April 15, 2017 – If you've spent any time outdoors recently, you may have found yourself swatting away a fly or mosquito – and that means it's time to bone up on bug avoidance. "Although most bug bites are harmless, some can spread dangerous diseases like Zika virus, dengue, Lyme disease and malaria," said Dr. Lindsay Strowd, an assistant professor of dermatology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. "Particularly if you're visiting areas with known insect-borne diseases, it's important to take steps to reduce your risk," Strowd said in an American Academy of Dermatology news release. Here are Strowd's tips to avoid unwanted bites. Your best defense against insect bites is to cover yourself – with bug spray and clothes. Apply insect repellent with 20 to 30 percent DEET. If you're also wearing sunscreen, apply your sunscreen first, let it dry, and ... Read more

TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 – Any marathoner will tell you that the grueling 26-mile races can do a number on the hips, knees, ankles and feet. Now, a small study suggests that these tests of endurance are also tough on the kidneys. "Marathon runners demonstrate transient or reversible short-term kidney injury," said Dr. Chirag Parikh, professor of medicine at Yale University. In his study of 22 participants in the 2015 Hartford, Conn. Marathon, Parikh found that 82 percent showed acute kidney injury after the race. In this condition, the kidneys fail to filter waste from the blood. The good news is that the kidney injury seems to clear up within two days of the race, he said. "On day 2, they are all fine," Parikh said. Runners likely don't even know they've had this transient injury, Parikh said. "For the short term, I don't think they would notice anything," he said. Parikh isn't certain ... Read more

-- Neck pain can be triggered or worsened by poor posture. So make sure posture is on your mind as you sit at your desk and go about your day. The Mayo Clinic suggests: Keep a straight line from your hips to your shoulders and your shoulders to your ears. Take regular stretch breaks. Get up, move around and stretch your body. Move your computer monitor level with your eyes. Keep your knees slightly below your hips, and rest your arms on armrests. Opt for a speakerphone or headset. Don't hold the phone between your ear and shoulder. If you have heavy bags, don't carry them over your shoulder, which may strain the neck. Practice good posture when asleep, with your head and neck in alignment. Read more

FRIDAY, Feb. 10, 2017 – For people experiencing low back pain, the thought of exercise often seems daunting. But yoga may be a natural fit in the quest to relieve an aching back, a new review indicates. The findings come from an analysis of 12 studies that included more than 1,000 participants with lower back pain. The studies compared yoga to physical therapy or patient education. There was some evidence that yoga led to small improvements in pain, and small to moderate improvements in back function at three and six months. "We found that the practice of yoga was linked to pain relief and improvement in function," said review author L. Susan Wieland. She is an assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of Maryland. "For some patients suffering from chronic non-specific low back pain, yoga may be worth considering as a form of treatment," Wieland added in a ... Read more

THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2017 – Painkillers like aspirin, Aleve and Advil don't help most people with back pain, a new review finds. The researchers estimated that only one in six people gained a benefit from taking these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Meanwhile, previous research has suggested that another common painkiller, Tylenol (acetaminophen), isn't very useful either, the study authors added. The findings raise the prospect that no over-the-counter painkillers really ease back pain, at least in the short term, and some may raise the risk of gastrointestinal problems. "There are other effective and safer strategies to manage spinal pain," said review author Gustavo Machado. He is a research fellow with the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, Australia. Back and neck pain are the leading cause of pain worldwide, the researchers said. For the review, the ... Read more

MONDAY, Jan. 30, 2017 – Low back pain is common in school-age American children, and rates increase with age, researchers say. By the time they're teenagers, nearly two out of five kids will have suffered lower back pain, a review of prior studies found. But only 7 percent of teens with low back pain seek care, said researchers from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Most cases of low back pain in youngsters are not serious, but they can affect school attendance and participation in gym class or sports. Also, teens with low back pain are at increased risk for low back pain when they're adults. For this report, researchers analyzed previously published studies. They found that back pain affects 1 percent of 7-year-olds, 6 percent of 10-year-olds and 18 percent of teens ages 14-16. There is no single risk factor or factors for low back pain in school-aged children. Likely ... Read more

-- If you feel like you're falling, it's a reflex action to put your hand out to break the fall. That's why wrist sprains are so common. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons mentions these potential symptoms: Swelling. Pain, especially when the wrist is moved. Soreness and tenderness. Bruising. A feeling of warmth at the injury site. A tearing or popping sensation when you move the wrist. Read more

MONDAY, Dec. 19, 2016 – Long-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers may be associated with increased risk of hearing loss in some women, a new study says. Women who used ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for six years or more were more likely to suffer hearing loss than those who used the pain relievers for a year or less, said researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. They found no significant association between long-term aspirin use and hearing loss. "Although the magnitude of higher risk of hearing loss with analgesic use was modest, given how commonly these medications are used, even a small increase in risk could have important health implications," study senior author Dr. Gary Curhan said in a hospital news release. "Assuming causality, this would mean that approximately 16.2 percent of hearing loss occurring in these women could be due to ... Read more

-- Your habits just before you slip into bed could be sabotaging your night of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation says do NOT: Take any over-the-counter medications that contain pseudoephedrine, found in common cold medicines, which can keep you awake. Opt for a nighttime formula that may help you feel drowsy. Text, watch TV or spend time on the computer shortly before bed. Take a hot shower or bath just before bed. It's best to do so about an hour before you plan to sleep, as that gives your body temperature time to drop again. Indulge in a greasy, fattening, salty bedtime snack, which can be stimulating and trigger nightmares. Drink caffeine beyond the morning, as it can stay in your system for as long as 12 hours. Read more

TUESDAY, Sept. 27, 2016 – New research in mice suggests that tiny nanoparticles might one day be a better way to deliver medicine to inflamed joints in humans. The therapy may reduce the risk of osteoarthritis in people who have suffered joint injuries, the study authors said. About 12 percent of osteoarthritis cases stem from previous joint injuries. The experimental treatment may also benefit people who already have osteoarthritis, according to the study team from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. While nonprescription painkillers – such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) – help reduce the pain of joint injuries, they don't stop cartilage destruction caused by inflammation. "I see a lot of patients with osteoarthritis, and there's really no treatment," study senior author Dr. Christine Pham, an associate professor of medicine, said in a ... Read more

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2016 – Acetaminophen does not worsen asthma symptoms in young children, a new study finds. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are often used to treat pain and fever. Some previous research has suggested that frequent use of acetaminophen may worsen asthma in kids with the respiratory condition. To investigate, researchers studied 300 children between the ages of 1 and 5 with mild, persistent asthma, which is defined as having symptoms more than two days a week, but not daily. All of the children used daily inhaled treatments to manage their asthma. During the study, they received either acetaminophen or ibuprofen to treat pain or fever. The small percentage of kids whose asthma symptoms worsened was about the same with both medications, according to the study published in the Aug. 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The ... Read more